Irish retail sales slump in June ahead of new car registrations

DUBLIN, July 28 (Reuters) - Irish retail sales slumped to a
two-year low in June, data showed on Tuesday, as car buyers
appeared to put off purchases until new registrations were
issued in July.

Monthly retails sales volumes fell 3.9 percent in June
compared to the previous month, the sharpest fall since January
2013, but rose 0.4 percent when motor vehicle sales were
excluded. That was an improvement on a monthly fall of 1 percent
in May of retail sales excluding motors.

Sales volumes were 5.4 percent higher on an annual basis,
the lowest level in seven months and well off the 12 percent
growth posted in April.
(Reporting by Conor Humphries; Editing by Hugh Lawson)